Simplify the following expression: $ x = \dfrac{-10y - 3}{2y} + \dfrac{2}{7} $
Answer: In order to add expressions, they must have a common denominator. Multiply the first expression by $\dfrac{7}{7}$ $ \dfrac{-10y - 3}{2y} \times \dfrac{7}{7} = \dfrac{-70y - 21}{14y} $ Multiply the second expression by $\dfrac{2y}{2y}$ $ \dfrac{2}{7} \times \dfrac{2y}{2y} = \dfrac{4y}{14y} $ Therefore $ x = \dfrac{-70y - 21}{14y} + \dfrac{4y}{14y} $ Now the expressions have the same denominator we can simply add the numerators: $x = \dfrac{-70y - 21 + 4y}{14y} $ $x = \dfrac{-66y - 21}{14y}$